It’s “Hey Rene J” Today!

Elton John’s, “Sad Songs Say So Much,” is kind of sappy. And true. And I always liked it with its juxtaposed happy lilt.

Apparently music is on my brain and radio this week. Albert Hammond’s, “It Never Rains In Southern California,” was playing yesterday in my travels. I think that song is one of the saddest. Dashed hopes and dreams. Leaving home. A plea for help. It’s got it all.

I sure hope I start having other tunes invade my brain. Apparently I need to change my channels!

It’s probably what drove “Delta Dawn” to madness – trying to recall the lyrics to a song at 3 a.m. rather than sleeping?

Why I should have that tune rolling around in my head, keeping me awake searching for the words to a second verse in the wee hours of the morning, is beyond me. I guess dredging up old songs brought it on? I never did impersonate Helen Reddy so I have no other theory.

However, it drove me to google-madness this morning and also gave me a great deal of satisfaction. I did know all the words, there is really no second verse in Helen’s version. I should have done the research at 3:15 a.m. and returned to a fitful sleep! Lesson learned.

Thank you, God, for the ability to gulp caffeine and Google.

”To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before,” played on the radio. I have no idea which station that throwback was on but it brought back a fond memory.

Is it called “drag” when a woman dresses as a man or just “cross-dressing?” Whichever, I was purposely costumed as Willie singing opposite to a devilishly handsome actor in my studio class, who obviously fit the part of Julio Iglesias. We nailed our lip-syncing duo act for the talent show. We had the audience in stitches. I know exactly where the photo of that event is stored, but it’s so grainy in it’s older technology it’s not worth bringing out of the depths of the closet. Just know I looked pretty darn Willie Nelson-ish.

It still makes me smile to recall that mini-moment of hilarity. Maybe I was a drag king?

My sister is a very good aunt. She is making May baskets for my granddaughters to distribute to the neighbors. How well I remember doing this all through grade school. And…the first time a boy gave me a basket!

I didn’t know what to do. I guess I was supposed to chase him after he rang the doorbell – but I was just too shy, an apparent attribute which wore off somewhere along the road.

The baskets are done, the girls are sleeping, and I am heading out to find the flowers for the creations. FTD delivery day!

…the best medicine! My sister is visiting.

We have had enough belly-laughs to produce core-strengthening in our abs. It’s the best exercise of all. Last night my daughter planned an evening which turned into quite the fun. Trivia night!

This was the upscale kind of event at a hip bar, using our phone to answer the questions. Even though we kept our mouths covered from possible lip-readers as we discussed answers, we did not eke out a win or even an honorable mention for our clever name. (It wasn’t very clever, just difficult to pronounce.)

Oh, get a young person to plan your evening and it’s sure to expand your funny bone. We would have continued the amusement with the “silent disco” event downtown, but it was already past our bedtime and it was only Monday evening. We have the rest of the week to pack with liveliness.

Thus, I shall be running this morning to Home Depot to curb my enthusiasm with the purchase of deck sealant and mulch, both to be applied in this glorious weather. My guess is we could make even those mundane tasks an entertaining event!

Torrential downpour. Somehow the song, “The Things We Do For Love,” popped into my head as I flung my legs over the side of the bed and commenced to don foul weather gear. I don’t think this was the “walking in the rain” of which 10cc sang.

I am so happy that my fertilization of the trees and lawn is being rewarded. I am super-glad we mitigated the flooding in the basement when we have heavy rains by pouring new concrete. And I am most grateful for an umbrella, though possibly too wimpy, on this unusual day of inundation.

Ah yes. The things we do for love! Off to join others in an early morning fund-raising walk – or swim – and quite happy to do so for the cherished love of friends.

Yesterday, while heading out of the neighborhood grade school, all eyes were peeled on the skies and the military helicopter flying over. The little kiddies were waving and jumping up and down, extremely excited to see such a large bird!

I was looking up, admiring the sight, when the pilot made a big old circle and came back around for the kids. It was so cool and thrilling to have him flying low and sharing his flight with children.

Just a lovely reminder of the kindness all around us.

The guy at the paint counter said, “Really?” I needed a quart of exterior pink paint for the front door.

I proceeded to tell him that it could be the swiftest way to get a new front door. Perhaps my spouse would insist on replacing the well-worn wood feature with a more modern, energy-efficient entrance if the color was not appealing to him? Of course, I then realized my husband has a slight degree of color-blindness and he might really like the new color? The paint guy just shook his head, I’m sure musing about what kind of day it was going to be.

His parting words, “At least it’s not going to be red.” There is still a sense of humor in the paint department.

Oh…maintenance. This blog is sometimes confounding, and when your techie son isn’t available and you are forced to figure things out on your own, problems ensue. Alas – some of you were accidentally deleted, some added twice, some just plain floating out there somewhere. Apologies.

There is nothing too mundane to capture today – just another Wednesday with the women and trying to sneak a nap in. But guess what? The Indian Paintbrush is returning near the spigot in the backyard. If that doesn’t get you ready for summer, then what will?

Looking for warmth and changing the photo on the header to assist in the endeavor.

What’s the first thing you do after a diving vacation? Return home and watch all of the shows about the coral reefs and octopi that you can, of course!

There is something incredibly soothing and relaxing in scuba diving once you are actually under the waves. You only really have to breathe. There are no other commitments to attend to, no other thoughts to occupy your mind, nobody needing your opinion or time. You just breathe and be. And then you see another amazing world.

National Geographic channel has “The Secret Life of the Octopus” running. If I didn’t get so darn cold in the ocean I’d love to suit up and go searching for these beauties. So this is a plug for the show – mesmerizing creatures.

And now back to our yard – one squirrel, a rabbit and a few robins. Another beautiful world.